Extraction of problem diagnostic knowledge from test cases

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9652369-B2
Application number	US-201615175163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jul 10, 2014
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention enable users to extract knowledge from testing scenarios performed during application development, and later employ that knowledge to interpret application usage scenarios to enhance serviceability of applications by expediting identification and solving of problems. In an exemplary embodiment, log data generated during simulation of test cases is analyzed to create one or more rules based on patterns in which one or more log entries appear in the log data. Later, log data may be analyzed to look for a pattern of log entries that matches a pattern-based rule, thereby facilitating faster identification and resolution of the problem.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
identifying a first set of log entries generated during a first execution of an application code in a first scenario, wherein each log entry in the first set of log entries corresponds to a set of lines of code in the application code;
creating a first rule based, at least in part, on a first order of the first set of log entries, wherein the first order is based on a first chronology;
associating the first rule with a first information describing the first scenario, wherein the first information includes a list of aspects of the application code tested during the first execution;
identifying a second set of log entries generated during a second execution of the application code in a second scenario; and
determining the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule;
wherein:
at least associating the first rule with the first information describing the first scenario is performed by computer software running on computer hardware.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule further includes:
determining, based on the first chronology, a first log entry in the first set of log entries appears earlier in the first order than does a second log entry in the first set of log entries;
determining a third log entry in the second set of log entries matches the first log entry;
determining a fourth log entry in the second set of log entries matches the second log entry;
determining a second order of the second set of log entries based on a second chronology; and
determining, based on the second chronology, the third log entry appears earlier in the second order than does the fourth log entry.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule further includes:
determining a third content of the third log entry matches a first content of the first log entry; and
determining a fourth content of the fourth log entry matches a second content of the second log entry.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to determining the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule, providing, to a user, the first information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first scenario is an application development testing scenario; and
the second scenario is an end-user application usage scenario.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a first set of updated lines of code in the application code; and
identifying a third set of log entries generated during a third execution of the application code in a third scenario, wherein each log entry in the third set of log entries corresponds to the first set of updated lines of code.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
creating a second rule based, at least in part, on a third order of the third set of log entries, wherein the third order is based on a third chronology.

8. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:
first instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a first set of log entries generated during a first execution of an application code in a first scenario, wherein each log entry in the first set of log entries corresponds to a set of lines of code in the application code;
second instructions executable by a device to cause the device to create a first rule based, at least in part, on a first order of the first set of log entries, wherein the first order is based on a first chronology;
third instructions executable by a device to cause the device to associate the first rule with a first information describing the first scenario, wherein the first information includes a list of aspects of the application code tested during the first execution;
fourth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a second set of log entries generated during a second execution of the application code in a second scenario; and
fifth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein fifth instructions to determine the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule further include:
sixth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine, based on the first chronology, a first log entry in the first set of log entries appears earlier in the first order than does a second log entry in the first set of log entries;
seventh instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine a third log entry in the second set of log entries matches the first log entry;
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine a fourth log entry in the second set of log entries matches the second log entry;
ninth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine a second order of the second set of log entries based on a second chronology; and
tenth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine, based on the second chronology, the third log entry appears earlier in the second order than does the fourth log entry.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein fifth instructions to determine the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule further include:
eleventh instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine a third content of the third log entry matches a first content of the first log entry; and
twelfth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine a fourth content of the fourth log entry matches a second content of the second log entry.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
responsive to fifth instructions to determine the second set of log entries partially satisfies the first rule, sixth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to provide, to a user, the first information.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein:
the first scenario is an application development testing scenario; and
the second scenario is an end-user application usage scenario.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:
sixth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to generate a first set of updated lines of code in the application code; and
seventh instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a third set of log entries generated during a third execution of the application code in a third scenario, wherein each log entry in the third set of log entries corresponds to the first set of updated lines of code.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising:
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to create a second rule based, at least in part, on a third order of the third set of log entries, wherein the third order is based on a third chronology.

15. A computer system comprising:
a processor set; and
a computer readable storage medium;
wherein:
the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to execute instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and
the instructions include:
first instructions executable by a device to cause the device to identify a first set of log entries generated during a first execution of an application code in a first scenario, wherein each log entry in the first set of log entries corresponds to a set of lines of code in th

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Krishna Hariharan
• Ramakrishnan Arun
• Shetty Rohit

Classifications

• G06F11/3688 Primary

  for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites · CPC title

• G06F11/3676

  for coverage analysis · CPC title

• G06F8/70

  Software maintenance or management · CPC title

• G06F11/3692

  for test results analysis · CPC title

• G06F11/3612

  by runtime analysis (performance monitoring G06F11/3466) · CPC title